6 zonal IGs better than state police – Ex-lawmaker

[MrVan]

By Emman Ovuakporie

ABUJA—A former member of House of Representatives, Mr. Nnamdi Njoku, yesterday, advocated that each of the six geo-political zones should have one Inspector-General of Police instead of creating state police that may not augur well for the country.

Njoku told newsmen in Abuja, yesterday, that six Inspectors-General of Police in the six geo-political zones would check acrimony and animosity in the body polity of the country.

He said: "For instance, the IG for South-South Zone should be picked from a distant zone like North-East Zone; the one for South-East Zone could come from North-West.

"Other zones should reflect same formula as this will drastically reduce favouritism and corruption, while discharging their duties.

"The Deputy Inspector-General should be an indigene of a particular zone, while Assistant Inspectors-General should be from a neighbouring zone. As for commissioners, they should be from different zones to reflect between 60 percent to 50 percent of a particular zone.

"Divisional Police Officers should be from different zones, while other strata of the police force should consist of 60 percent indigenes of each particular zone to enable them understand the people they are to protect for effective policing."

On how it would be funded, Njoku said each zone should have separate budget and get its funding directly from the federation account.

Njoku added: "Every zone will be co-ordinated by the Federal Ministry of Police Affairs in Abuja, which will be saddled with the responsibility of training, promotion, enhancement, appointment and all forms of liaison with Federal Government and the zones.

"The Federal Capital Territory police will be headed by a commissioner, who will take instructions from the Ministry of Police Affairs in Abuja.

"Each zone will have its own distinct uniform and will be autonomous with its procedures in line with the peculiar nature of that zone."

Vanguard Nigeria